


Life as we know it

by Anonymous



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-15
Updated: 2019-05-28
Packaged: 2020-03-05 20:27:17
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,315
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18836164
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: Harry Potter, Draco Malfoy and the other students return for their 8th year at Hogwarts hoping to complete their students and put there animosity aside. With the other students all coupled up, Draco and Harry must work together to pass their N.E.W.T.S





	1. Back at Hogwarts

**Author's Note:**

> So this is my first ever fanfic. It's gonna be just a bit of Drarry fluff since I've been enjoying reading it so much lately.

“How is everyone going to fit in the dorms?” Ron asks, shaking Harry from his thoughts and turning his eyes away from the window to his friend sitting opposite of him. Hermione is holding is hand in between both of hers and rests her head on Ron’s shoulder. Next to Harry sit Seamus and Dean. Neville sits next to Hermione with Luna leaning against his legs and Ginny’s sitting opposite her. The Hogwarts express is much fuller than it’s ever been which means they have to share their tiny compartment with more people then they ever have had to do before. Which is probably why Ron is wondering how everyone fit in Hogwarts. “I have no idea.” Hermione says.

“Really Mione, you don’t know?” Ginny jokes. Hermione sticks her tongue out at Ginny and the rest of us chuckle. “I’ve read Hogwarts a History cover to cover again this summer, but I couldn’t find a solution.”

“Maybe there’s more room in the dormitories than we thought. You never know with Hogwarts.” Ginny says.

“Or first years have to squash together.” Seamus notes

“Or we do.” Dean adds.

“As long as we don’t have to squash with the Slytherins.” Ron sneers.

“We’re almost there, guess will find out.” Harry says as he sees the platform nearing.

 

When they walk into the great hall there aren’t 4 but 5 tables. The fifth table is smaller than the other 4 and Harry spots Malfoy and the other Slytherins and Ravenclaws of his year sitting at that table. They regard each other warily. “Is that us?” Harry hears Susan Bones ask to no one in particular.

“Oh bloody hell,” Ron says, as he sees the Hufflepuffs hurry to sit next to the Ravenclaws leaving a gap between them and the Slytherins as a only place to sit for us. Luna and Ginny take their leave and make their way to the Gryffindor and Ravenclaw tables. Harry starts to sit down next to Malfoy, but Ron pushes in between them, “Sod off Malfoy.” Harry shoots a grateful look at Ron. Draco just scowls in return, he seems different without either of his henchmen. Goyle sits as far away from Malfoy as he possible can. Once everyone sat down McGonagall stands up and gives the opening speech, welcoming the new years and introducing the new professors. She explains that last years classes and grades have been scratched, meaning everyone will start in the year they started last year. And eventually she addresses the fifth table, “Because we know have 8 years of students the eight year students will share dormitories. The rooms will be organised in groups of 4 in alphabetical order, houses will mix in order to celebrate the unity between the different houses.” All around the table signs sound on one hand there are sounds of relief on the other signs of distress. “But first let’s have our celebratory feast to start this schoolyear.” With that McGonagall sits down and the feast appears on the tables. All throughout the hall voices start speaking making a happy murmur sounds all through the hall. As Harry loads his plate with food he tries to list all the names he knows to figure out with whom he´ll share a room, but he doesn´t get far. “I have to share a room with two Slytherins.” Hermione complains on the other side of Harry.

“Me and Dean were just looking forward on sharing a room,” Seamus complains.

“At least I don’t have to deal with that,” Ron jokes with his mouth full with chicken.

“So will be going to my room than, babe.” Dean says to Seamus, “T of Thomas is in the room with that Weasel.” They all laugh at Ron’s startled expression.

“Harry, we might be together. You know, L and P aren’t to far apart.” Neville says when the laughing has died down.

“That really would be great!” Harry says relieved.

Hermione grimaces, “That means you’ll share a room with Malfoy.”

“That’d be awful.” Ron says mouthful and next to him Malfoy snorts. Harry looks over at him and catches Malfoy’s eye quickly. “Don’t worry Potter, I won’t come to your side of the room.”

“Oh shut up, Malfoy!” Ron says, blocking Malfoy from Harry’s view.

“I’m sure you can ask professor McGonagall to switch rooms with someone.” Hermione says patting his arm.

“I’m sure I’ll be fine Mione, I’ve gone through to worse things than sleeping in the same room with Malfoy.” Hermione looks at Harry worriedly,

“Only if you’re sure.”

“Yeah otherwise I’ll just kick him out of a window.” Ron says. And another snort sounds from Malfoy but Ron pointedly ignores him.

“I’m sure I’ll be fine guys. We’re not 11 anymore and he has apologised. Besides he is here as part of his punishment, so I’m sure he’s not up to anything.”

“Of course not.” Hermione says.

“But he’s still Malfoy.” Ron grimaces. Harry rolls his eyes and continues his dinner. He isn’t worried, not really. Malfoy did apologise to everyone, Harry kept the letter. He doesn’t really know why, but it felt like something to hold onto. Like a real ending to the war, a positive twist maybe. An ending to his youth too, because if he thinks about it most of Harry’s childhood was chasing after Malfoy, thinking the Slytherin was up to something. Having that letter felt like letting go of their animosity and starting a new chapter. Harry hoped to keep Malfoy out of it, but it turns out that, that won’t happen anytime soon.

 

This was probably Draco’s worst nightmare, he stands in the doorway of his new dormitory looking at the 2 green, 1 yellow and a red bed. He knew this year would be tough, if it wasn’t part of his punishment he wouldn’t have even gone back to Hogwarts, knowing that all that awaited him were people who resented or even flat-out hated him. He thought being in the Slytherin dormitories would be hard enough, with half of them hating him for giving the Slytherins a bad name, the other half hating him for what he did or didn’t do during the war. And that with Goyle not talking to him anymore, making Draco lose his oldest friend. Draco had always know that his relationship with both Crabbe and Goyle wasn’t the same as the one they shared together, but he’d never thought that Goyle would just stop being his friend after Crabbe died. The last time they spoke were some polite words at Crabbe’s funeral. Goyle responded to only _one_  of the letters Draco had send asking him to stop writing. He has no idea why, but Draco listened to his mother and gave Goyle his space. However it didn’t seem to spin in his advantage because Goyle still ignores him. Thinking it would be able to get any worse felt like doom thinking. But now he’s sharing a dormitory with Harry bloody Potter, the saviour of the wizarding world, the chosen one. And since Theo has the bed next to the Hufflepuff, God Draco’s sharing a room with a Hufflepuff, Draco needs to sleep next to bloody Harry Potter. And his life really couldn’t get any worse.

Draco decides to just fall head first on his bed and never get out of it. When he hits his pillow, face first like he intended, something black and furry hisses and nails claw at his face. He screams out in surprise and jerks his head back, making the movement so fast he actually falls out of his bed. “You alright there, Malfoy?” Nott asks.

“Fine,” he puts his fingers to his cheek, fuck it the cat actually drew blood, “Just a scratch. Whose fucking cat is it anyway?”

“I’m sorry, Malfoy.” MacMillen says. Ernie MacMillen, Draco’s new Hufflepuff roommate, hurries to Draco’s bed and grabs the now fluffy cat from it. “I’m so sorry,” he says again, “Cookie is normally not like this at all.”

“What’s up, Malfoy. Cookie pushed you out of your bed?” In the doorway Weasley and Thomas laugh at him. Draco growls and pulls himself up from the ground with help of a hand that someone stuck to him. “You okay, Malfoy?”

“Yes I’m fine, Potter.” Draco pulls his hand free and pushes Potter out of his way and stalks to the bathroom. Seems like today could get even worse than he had anticipated. How will he ever make it through a whole year.


	2. Chapter 2

Harry hurries down the hall to his Transfiguration class Ron and Seamus on his heels. After breakfast they had been discussing the latest quidditch game and forgot the time, now they’re late. Much too late. Harry doesn’t know how the new professor will react. Hopefully he won’t be as strict as McGonagall was. Ron pushes the door open and stumbles inside, Harry and Seamus almost falling over him in their haste to get inside. Professor Swift doesn’t look mad, but confused. “Uhm,” he fumbles with a scroll, “Mr. Finnigan?” he reads from the scroll that apparently reads the names of his students, “That’s me!” Seamus waves his hand. “Right. Take a seat.” Seamus hurries to sit next to Dean, who pokes him with his elbow while shaking his head. Probably rolling his eyes at their timing. Professor Swift scans the list, “Mr. Weasley?”  
“Present.” Ron chuckles, his elbow punching Harry’s who can’t help but giggle as Professor Swift turns pink. “Take a seat.” Professor Swift glances at the list then at Harry and back at the list. “I can’t seem to find you on the list. What’s your name?”   
“Harry Potter. I should be on the list.” The slight pink turns to bright red, “So sorry Mr Potter. Of course, I see you now. Please, please take a seat.” Harry turns to the classroom, there’s only one seat left. The one next to Malfoy. Of course. Harry makes his way to the back of the classroom passing Hermione and Ron, who looks very apologetic at him. Harry shrugs and falls into the seat next to Malfoy. “Way to name drop.” Malfoy sneers. Harry doesn’t raise to the bait and just rolls his eyes. He decides to just focus on the class.  
“Like I said before the last students came in. Welcome to Transfiguration. For your end project you’ll need to work in pairs, so look at the person you’re sitting next to they’ll be your partner for the rest of the year. Malfoy groans and puts his face in his hands. Professor Swift explains that there are several options for the end project, transfiguring a large object, transfiguring things in classroom to make it seem like you’re somewhere else entirely or becoming a registered Animagus. Whatever you chose the other must document your progress. “The rest of this class discuss with your partner what you want to do. Next class we’ll start with the individual exam material.” Says professor Swift. Harry turns to Malfoy who still has his head in his hands, though now he’s looking forward instead of at his hands, “So, what do you wan to do?” Harry asks.   
“Does it matter?” Malfoy turns to Harry big dark circles under his eyes, he looks like he didn’t sleep at all last night.   
“Yes, of course it matters,” Harry says getting agitated, “I know you’re here because it’s part of your probation, but you do want to pass your N.E.W.T.S don’t you?”  
“Of course I do. However you don’t have to worry about it Potter.” Malfoy sneers.   
“Well, I do now. Since I’m your partner in This class.”  
“No you’re not.”  
“Yes I am.” Why does everything with Malfoy have to be a battle, Harry was ready to let all their old animosity go, but Malfoy’s making it impossible. Malfoy rolls his eyes, “Wait for it.”   
“What does that even-”  
“Mr. Potter,” professor Swift interrupts, Harry hadn´t noticed that he´d walked up to their desks, but now he´s standing right beside them. “Would you like to have another partner?” He’s clearly nervous while asking. “You could join Mr Weasley and Mr Granger if you’d like.”  
Harry looks to Malfoy, whose gone back to staring at the back of the head of the person in front of him. “But who will Malfoy work with?” Harry asks looking back at professor Swift. “Uh, he can work with miss Parkinson and Mr Nott.”   
“Definitely not!” sounds from the other side of classroom.  
“Or Maybe with Mr Goyle and-”   
Malfoy snorts, “I’ll just do it by myself.”  
Professor Swift scratches the back of his head, “That won’t work. I’ll have to fail you if you try because-”  
“We’ll just stay a pair and do it together.” Harry says, interrupting him.  
“Oh, okay Mr. Potter.” The professor nods, “If you’re sure.”  
“I’m sure.” Harry says. The professor nods once more than walks away, Harry’s not sure what he’s thinking, but somehow this feels like the right thing to do. Harry has fought a war, almost died, lost many he cared about and spent his summer trying to rebuilt the place where that happened. He can work with Malfoy, he thinks. “I’d like to try and become an Animagus,” Malfoy says softly, shaking Harry out his internal monologue. “Great,” Harry nods, “I’d like that too.” 

Somehow Draco made it through the first day of classes. Though it hadn’t been easy, people still looked and shouted at him. For some reason Potter had wanted to work with Draco on their Transfiguration project. In History of Magic class he sat next to Granger of all people. She actually thanked him for the letter he sent and they had had polite conversation. Polite conversation! Draco had never thought that possible. Of course whe was still bloody annoying, answering every question professor Binns asked immediatly. But when asked to discuss certain topics with your classmates she was very eager to talk with Draco. It was probably just the excitement of the class.   
Draco hurries to the dining hall, hoping to grab a plate and make it back to his dorm before most of the students get there. Hopefully Draco will never have to sit through a complete dinner again. The first one was awful enough, of course it was mandatory so he had to be there, but it reminded him to much of the dinners he had at the Malfoy Mansion. At those dinners he had to pretend to be listening at the polite conversation, but turn away when the conversations turned dark. Keeping a mask on all through dinner. During the war he had to do it even more and it was so much harder with Bellatrix and Lord Voldemort being there. But he did it, he made it through. But he can’t do it any longer, no more fake politeness, no more pretending to care, pretending not to listen. He can’t do it any longer. So he’s decided to skip the dinner parties, for ever.   
As he makes his way out of the hall with a plate in one hand and a glass of pumpkin juice in the other, he passes Potter, Weasley and Granger. “Lost all your dead eater friends did you now Malfoy?” Weasley jokes. Granger pokes him with her elbow and Potter ignores him, opting for giving Draco a slight nod before turning away towards the hall.   
Draco takes the long way to the eight year common room in the hopes of avoiding most students. He nudges the door open with his foot after giving the password. He saw the door open for some students, Potter of course, but for him it opens only a little. Seems like not only the people in the castle, but also the castle himself still doesn’t like him. The common room is thankfully empty and so his Draco’s dorm. Except for the cats, Nott’s tabby cat is sleeping at the foot of his bed, an enormous ginger cat cuddles up to grey cat on MacMillen’s bed. Didn’t he have a black cat? Draco shrugs and sits down on his own bed, he hasn’t even taken a bite when the little black cat crawls out from under his sheets and steals a bit of chicken from Draco’s plate. “Hey!” Draco moves to steal his chicken back, but the cat scurries behind him. Draco can’t help but laugh to himself before eating the rest of his food.   
During his dinner the cat steals one more piece of chicken and Draco lets him and when he’s done he vanishes his plate. He transfigures his goblet in a bowl and puts some water in it in the bathroom before putting it on his nightstand for the black kitten to drink from. Draco settles on his sheets with his back against the headboard and accios his History of Magic homework. An advantage of not having friends anymore is that he can devote all his time to his homework. Maybe he’ll finally surpass Granger and be the number 1 in every class, he smirks at the thought of the look on Granger’s face. Merlin knows he needs to if he ever wants to find a job with his name and reputation.

Voices wake Draco up. He didn’t realise he had fallen asleep and wipes the little bit of drool from the corner of his mouth. The black cat has crawled over his homework and his purring on his chest. “I can’t believe the Slytherin’s are in our room!”  
“Me neither, there are 2 Slytherins in Harry’s room, so why would they go to ours?”  
“I can’t believe we let Zabini send us away.” The voices become louder and louder and then the door of Draco’s dorm opens and Potter and his Gryffindors barge loudly into Draco’s dorm. “Malfoy?” Potter looks confused. Thomas, Finnigan and the Weasel follow behind him.  
“Potter.”  
“What are you doing here?”  
“Homework. This is my dorm Potter.” Draco sneers.  
“All the Slytherins are in our dorm.” The Weasel says.  
“So?”  
“Why aren’t you?”  
“What does it matter? I’m doing my homework in my dorm. Why are all you Gryffindorks here anyway?”  
“Are you doing History of Magic homework?” Granger barges in with Longbottom.  
“Yeah?”   
“What did you think of question 3? I had 2 answers and I couldn’t decide which was better. Can I see what you had?” Granger sits down at the foot of Draco’s bed and looks at him expectantly. Draco hands her his assignment a little bit confused why she would want to check her answers with his. Then again neither Potter or Weasley follow History of Magic. However some other Gryffindors are.   
“Malfoy?” Potter’s voice startles Draco’s attention from his now empty hands to him, “Why is Ernie’s cat sleeping on your chest?” Of course Potter is already familiar enough with their new roommate to call him by his first name. Draco grabs the cat carefully and lifts him from his chest, he meows in protest as Draco puts him down on the sheets. “It just won’t leave me alone.” Draco shrugs as the cat cuddles back against Draco’s thigh.   
“Harry, let’s go to the common room. There won’t be any Slytherin’s bothering us there.” Weasley says glancing over to Draco. “Sure,” Harry says, “Mione?”  
“Yeah, yeah I’m coming. Draco why did you go for this?” Hermione pushes his homework towards him, while pointing at the third question. Draco raises his eyebrow when Granger calls him by his first name, but ignores it. Instead he explains his answer to her, while the Gryffindor boys walk away. The Weasel glaring daggers at him and Potter staring confused at Granger. 

The common room is empty, apparently all the other houses claimed one of the boy dormitories except them, because Malfoy has claimed one for himself. Ron and Harry sit on one couch and Seamus lays in Dean’s arms on the other couch that faces them. Neville claims the big armchair closest to the fireplace. When Hermione steps inside the tiny common room she crawls on the couch in between Ron and Harry, accios her homework and starts eagerly writing. “Didn’t you finish all your homework already?” Ron asks pulling Hermione’s hair from his mouth.  
“Hmm hmm,” Hermione hums, “But Draco had some good pointers, so I’m just adjusting my answers.”  
“Blimey Mione, it’s just homework.”   
“If you’d put more effort in your homework, Ronald. You’d have better grades.”  
Ron grunts. “Since when do you take school advise from the Ferret anyway?”   
“Since when do you call Malfoy by his first name?” Harry adds.  
“He is our classmate, and -”  
“He has always been our classmate.” Ron interrupts.  
“And,” Hermione continues as if Ron hadn’t spoken, “he has apologised.”  
“Only because they lost.”  
“Not because they lost. Because he knew they were wrong. He also apologised for calling me a mudblood.”  
“He did?” Harry and Ron ask in unison.  
Hermione nods, “And didn’t he write you that you weren’t a blood traitor and that you fought well during the war?” she asks Ron.   
“Don’t know, didn’t read it.”  
“Ronald!”  
“What?! After the war I couldn’t care less what that ferret had to say. Besides that doesn’t explain why you call him Draco now and listen to his school advise. Advise that you know that you don’t even need.”  
“He thanked me for killing the snake.” Neville says softly, “And he gave me a new toad.”  
“Why’d he gave you a new toad?” Seamus asks confused.  
“Apparently Crabbe and Goyle always stole mine to experiment on.”  
“Malfoy probably told them to.” Ron says.  
Neville shrugs, “He gave me a nice toad.”  
“Just promise me," Ron states eager to let this topic go and move on to more fun ones, "We’re not all going to be best mates with the ferret now.”  
“Like that’s ever going to happen.” Harry laughs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hoped you liked it again!   
> I think this is going to be a slowburn kinda thing so I hope you're in for the long hall. I don't know how many chapters it will be, but I will try and post every Monday.
> 
> If you have any notes or questions or things you would like to see don't be afraid to comment and tell me, like I said before this is my first ever fanfic, I could use all the advise!


	3. Chapter 3

It’s Friday afternoon and Draco is excited. It’s their first potion class and the only class Draco really enjoys. “Welcome! Welcome!” Slughorn says when he enters the classroom. “Draco, good to see you again. You are going to get an Outstanding, right my boy?”

“Well I’m going to try.” Draco can’t help smile a little.

“Good, good. Now can I ask you my boy; Since you’re one of my best students could I pair you with one of the lesser students?”

“Of course professor. Not a problem.” Draco feels pride swell in his chest, at least Slughorn still trusts him enough to help another student. Slughorn smiles at him and Draco takes a seat in the second row, he isn’t daring enough to sit in the front row, what he would actually like.

Nott walks in and Draco can hear Slughorn ask him the same question, Pansy almost jumps in between them asking if he can work with her. At which Slughorn nods, because Pansy is awful at potions but before she always worked with Draco.

But it can’t damper Draco’s good mood.

Granger of course works with Weasley. Thomas choses Zabini over Draco and Millicent rather works with the Hufflepuff Hopkins than him. So Draco gives up hope, because Goyle is never going to work with him and no one of the other houses will ever want to work with him either.

Draco starts organising his ingredients and tries to figure out which potions they could be brewing, when he hears a girl's voice say, “I’m glad you don’t mind working with him, because I really didn’t want to work with that death Eater.” Right before someone falls into the chair beside Draco. “Guess you’re stuck with me again.” Potter says. A small part of Draco feels immensely grateful, a bigger part of him feels agitated that he has to work with the chosen one yet again. And Potter clearly still has his hero complex, but he better not think he is saving Draco, because Draco would be completely fine passing Potions on his own. “I’m going for an Outstanding here Potter, you better not hold me back.”

“Well, potions isn’t my strongest suit so I’ll just let you do all the work.” Potter jokes and Draco bites back his chuckle.

“Thank you all for forming pairs. I want everyone in this class to pass their N.E.W.T.S, so I’d advise you to stick in these pairs. Though the final exam will be individual you’ll be able to learn a lot from each other.” Slughorn starts, “Now, who can tell me what potion we’re brewing today?”

Draco looks over his ingredients one last time, “Draught of Peace.” He mutters under his breath and Potter glances at him.

“Yes miss Granger.” Slughorn says.

“Draught of Peace.” Granger says.

“Very good, miss Granger! 10 points to Gryffindor. Now it’s to you to brew the potion together.”

The class comes in motion and Draco starts the flames under their caldron.

“So,” Potter breaks Draco’s concentration and Draco almost wants to snap at him to shut up, but he has to work together with him in 2 classes so he has to play nice and doesn’t say anything. “How are we going to do this?”

“I thought you were going to make me do all the work.” Draco says putting the first ingredient in the caldron.

“Yeah well I want to pass potions, so I’m willing to work.”

“Okay then give me the dragonfly wings.” 

 

The rest of the class Potter gives Draco all the ingredients he asks for and looks closely over his shoulder sometimes asking why he adds an ingredient in certain way. He even asks to stir, but Draco pats his hands away. At the end of the class Slughorn walks through the class, peering into every caldron. He pats on Draco’s shoulder when he looks in their caldron, “Well done.”

When Slughorn is back in the front of the class he says, “One more thing before you go and celebrate your weekend. As I expected in most pairs the more experienced one brewed the potion, so next week the other person will brew the same potion. I hope you all paid attention to your partner, because next week you’ll only get to ask them 3 questions. However you can of course discuss the potion as much as you want during the week before you enter the classroom next class.” With that he dismisses the class.

Draco is almost out of the classroom when a hand closes around his arm, out of reflex he pulls his wand and points it at the person holding his arm, fear already forming in his chest. The grip on his arm takes him back to the days when he had to look over his shoulder in his own home and keep his guard up, because one wrong move would mean his death. “Wow.” Potter let’s go of his arm and hold up his hands in surrender, “Relax Malfoy. I’m not going to attack you.”

“What do you want, Potter?” Draco sneers, his emotions still running high.

“I was hoping you’d help me revise the potion before the next class.”

“And why would I do that?”

“Because we’re supposed to be a team.”

“Are we? I didn’t hear Slughorn say that? Besides why don’t you ask your mu- Granger?”

“She has to help Ron.”

“It hasn’t stopped her before right? I mean she pulled both of you through 6 years of school.”

“I- ” Potter starts, “You know what forget it Malfoy. I’ll ask Hermione. I was just asking because we have to work together at not one but two subjects. And because the only one you seem to be talking to is Ernie MacMillan’s cat.”

“Shove off Potter!” The words, the truth, hurts. Draco has never been good at dealing with hurt and it always comes out at anger.

“Whatever Malfoy.” Potter pushes past him storming after his friends who stand just outside the classroom waiting. Watching Harry walk away, a little bit of guilt stings in Draco's chest. Which he tries to ignore. Behind Draco, still in the classroom, Pansy and Daphne snicker. Draco rolls his eyes and makes his way to his dorm. He’s just going to skip dinner tonight. All the good feelings Draco had collected during potions class evaporated. 

****

“I don’t even know why you tried.” Ron says at dinner while shoving a roast potato in his mouth.

“I was just trying to be nice. I have to work with him in two classes.” Harry says.

“You don’t even have to work with him, if you asked.” Ron says.

“But he might benefit if he does.” Hermione says when she pushes her books on the table and sits down next to Ron. “I mean Malfoy’s smart right. He might not have used his magic for good, but he does know how to use it. And he’s great at potions which Harry really needs to improve.”

“You’re just pro Malfoy for some weird reason.” Ron says to Hermione, “You know apologising by letter isn’t enough for all the shit he did.”

“No I know,-”

“Do you?”

“Yes Ronald, I do. But I think including him might make him realise that too.”

“And why would we want that? He’s awful human being.”

“But we’re not and it’s not like anybody’s giving him a chance to prove that he isn’t either.”

“Hermione might have a point. He is really smart and scores high in classes, so if he would help me, it might benefit me. But he might know that and maybe that’s why he doesn’t want to help me. Or,” Harry shoves some food in his mouth, “he’s up to something!”

“Harry no!” Hermione says, at the same time that Ron says, “He might be.”

“I still don’t agree with either of you.” Ron says pointedly, “But if you want try and work with the ferret. Then good luck to you.”

The conversation turns to homework and quidditch practise. Harry had been able to reserve the quidditch pitch for 2 hours on Saturday for more practise. Hermione thinks they should focus those hours on school, but Ron and Harry shrug it off.

 

When they make their way to leave Justin Flinch-Fletchy makes his way to Harry, “Can we speak for a minute?”

“Uh, sure.”

Shortly after the war Ginny and Harry had broken up when both realised that they weren’t the one for each other. Harry had realised even more about himself, particular when he saw Charlie Weasley take of his shirt after a friendly Quidditch match and his heart started beating faster and he felt a blush creeping up his neck. Harry realised soon that Charlie Weasley was just a physical attraction and wasn’t someone he could actually fall for. Then in the summer, when rebuilding Hogwarts, there was Justin and Harry was maybe slightly desperate. So there had been a lot of kissing and groping in broom closets and dark corners until the last week before the start of the schoolyear when McGonagall had told everyone to go home and enjoy some free time. And now school started Harry had been neglecting Justin. Come to think about it Harry even forgot to respond to the letter Justin had send a couple days before they’d be back at school. But since Hedwig, Harry hadn’t been able to think, let alone buy a new owl, though that is no excuse.

Justin finds a quite bench a hallway over from the Great Hall. Once they sat down Justin stares at his feet, “So,” Harry hesitantly breaks the awkward silence, “What did you want talk about?”

“I uh,” he sighs loudly, “I talked to my friends and uhm we, I.” He fiddles with his hands in his lap, “I don’t think you like me very much.” He finally rushes out.

“What?” If Justin would look at Harry now he’d see the utter confusion on his face. “How can you say that. After we-”

“Yeah well, after that you didn’t write me back and ignored me ever since we’re back at school.”

“I’m sorry Justin. I just got so busy with school, shopping for school and now the new classes. I just forgot.”

“You just forgot.” Justin makes a sound that is somewhere between a sob and a laugh, “This is what I mean, you forgot me, but I could never forget you Harry. I could never forget anything that we shared, but I can’t do it anymore.” Justin finally looks at Harry, tears clear in the corners off his eyes. “I hope you understand.”

“Of course I understand,” Harry says bemused “I never meant for you to hurt you in any way Justin. You must know that.”

“I do, I think. A part of me wants to hope you’ll be left the same way, but I couldn’t wish that on anyone.” Justin stands up and glances one last time over his shoulder at Harry before walking away. 

 

Harry sits on the cold bench until his bottom is numb before walking back to the eight year common room. He isn’t quite sure how to feel. He does feel sad, but more the fact that there will be no more kissing other than the fact than that there won’t be more Justin. He realises that that’s bad and he feels guilty for feeling this way. When he enters the common room Neville, Hermione and Ron are sitting on the couches. “Back to making out in closets?” Ron asks with a wink.

“Uhm not really.” Harry pushes his hand through his hair.

“Then what were you doing with Flinch-Fletchy?” Ron asks.

“We kinda broke up?”

“You were together?!” Neville asks confused.

Harry shrugs, “I’m not really sure. I think he thought so and let’s just say that I was an awful boyfriend if we were.”

“Oh Harry, are you okay?” Hermione asks.

“Yes, fine. I’m just going to go to bed.” 

 

Harry stumbles into his dorm ready for an hot shower and an early night, though he knows he’s not going to be able to sleep well at all. Not with all his confusing emotions. Harry shrugs off his robes, eager for a shower. “Potter,” Malfoy’s voice rings through the room, making Harry stop with his head stuck in the sweater. “What in Merlin's name are you doing?”

“What?!” Harry snaps after he’s pulled his sweater over his head, all his confusion coming out as anger at Malfoy “Never seen someone undress before. I don’t know what you did in Slytherin, but if I want to take a shower I might take of some clothes in my room. So stop your bloody whining.”

“Oh shove it Potter,” Malfoy says getting red with anger, “And clean up your fucking mess!” Harry grabs his robes and sweater from the floor and throws it on his bed. He also makes sure to slam the bathroom door as loudly as possible. 

Fucking Malfoy and his whining and complaining. Like Harry’s day wasn’t bad enough. He tried to do his Transfiguration homework in the morning, but realised soon that he needed to do it together with his partner, Malfoy. Then he had his worse class and had to partner up, Malfoy again. Then Malfoy had to be difficult and now he has to make two duo projects on his own. And as if that wasn’t bad enough, Justin looked at him as if he was the worst person in the entire school. If he his mind hadn’t been full of the conversation at dinner, which was about Malfoy of course, he might have been able to apologize properly so they wouldn’t have broken up and Harry would have had something fun this schoolyear. Seems like Harry’s childhood isn’t over yet, with Malfoy still stalking his every thought. Will it ever end? Harry turns on the shower, extra hot and steps in. The water hits his skin and he jerks away in reflex. It’s too hot, but it takes his mind of off the problem. Malfoy. Merlin’s beard! it’s back again. Harry has to hold himself in otherwise he’ll punch the wall. How could he have thought he could work with the prat. He takes a deep breath, trying to let it all go. Harry decides he’s just going to let Malfoy figure it out on his own. He’ll ask Hermione for advise and help with his potions and Monday morning he’ll ask the new professor whether he can work with someone else, anyone else. Forget being nice and forgiving. If Malfoy isn’t going to try, neither is he.

When Harry comes back into the room Malfoy hasn’t moved an inch. He still sits crossed legged with his back against the headboard and parchments scattered around him and Ernie’s black cat in his lap. “Potter,” he starts.

“What is it now?! Is it because I’m not covered from neck to ankles?” Harry digs through his trunk at the foot of his bed looking for his blue sweatpants and a T-shirt. “What?” Red anger again creeps up Malfoy’s neck into his face, “No! I need your Transfiguration homework.”

Harry shoves his legs in his pants and pulls his shirt roughly over his head, “Why?”

“To check it with mine,” Harry must look very confused because Malfoy rolls his eyes and adds, “We need to work together on that project remember.”

“Oh, so now you want to work together?! Just hours ago I asked you the same thing and if I remember correctly you shut me down.”

“You don’t remember correctly.”

“Malfoy you’re such a prat! If you want to work with me I’ll see you in the library tomorrow after lunch, otherwise you can just figure it out on your own.” Malfoy opens his mouth to say something, but Harry ignores him and crawls into his bed and with a flick of his wand he closes the curtains around his bed. Just before he casts a silencing charm, he hears Malfoy mutter to himself, “Fucking Potter.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's a bit later this week. I hope I will be on time next week. However I do hope you enjoyed it!

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you liked it, I will be posting as often as I can. (hopefully at least a chapter a week) but please be patient with me.


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